Forsythia plant named `Fairy-Land`
A new cultivar of Forsythia named `Fairy-Land` characterized by its relatively small shrub size, its small lanceolate foliage, and the varying number, between four and eight, of petals on its flowers.
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This invention relates to a new cultivar of Forsythia named "Fairy-Land", which is characterized especially by its small overall size, its simple, minimally serrate, lanceolate foliage, and the varying number of flower petals, from four to eight, on a single corolla.
The new variety was derived as a seedling from a vegetative line of mutants, which had been produced in turn by subjecting rooted cuttings of the parent Forsythia intermedia `Lynwood Gold` (a sport of F. intermedia "Spectabilis") to irradiation with 1,200 rad fast neutrons.
In 1968, three hundred cuttings of "Lynwood Gold" that had been potted and held in cold storage (38.degree. F.) for six weeks and then returned to the greenhouse for two days were irradiated with 1200 rad fast neutrons. One of the plants of this group that broke dormancy formed a shoot with variegated foliage. This plant was cut back repeatedly to induce branching and eventually formed shoots that exhibited different characteristics. Each shoot was propagated by stem cuttings over 10 vegetative generations of selection and propagation. From this plant population two vegetatively selected types and three seedlings were selected. Further propagation and testing of these selections over several more years were shown to be the stable and new forsythia varieties that are the subject of this and four other co-pending plant patent applications; viz:
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Ser. No. Name Type
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272,063 "Lemon-Screen" vegetative selection
273,489 "Tinkle Bells" vegetative selection
271,919 "Minikin" seedling
271,665 "Fairy Land" seedling
271,666 "Pygmy-Red" seedling
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Each differs greatly from the parent "Lynwood Gold" and also from one another.
"Fairy-Land" was selected at the seedling stage because of its bright green color, small linear foliage, and short internodes. Cuttings from this plant have been rooted in soil and asexually propagated, and its progeny have displayed homogeneous and stable characteristics.
Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signify that the name of the color as used in common speech are aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate values based on the R.H.S. Colour Chart, published by The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the new variety in color as grown in Knox County within the State of Tennessee.
FIG. 1 illustrates "Fairy-Land" as a 51/2 old plant in bloom in the spring.
FIG. 2 shows flowered cut stems of "Fairy-Land".
FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the flowers of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates the "Fairy-Land" plant in summer foliage.
FIG. 5 is a closer view of the foliage shown in FIG. 4. The white label is 0.6 in. wide and 5 inches long.
The following characteristics distinguish "Fairy-Land" from its parent and other Forsythia cultivars:
THE PLANT"Fairy-Land", because of its small overall stature (3' to 4' in height and 5' to 6' in width at maturity) and dense foliage as a young plant, is very well suited for culture in nursery plant containers. The plant exhibits good vigor for its size, is hardy to Zone 6b (or lower) and develops few seed pods. The low, broad, attractively dense and fine textured "Fairy-Land" plant form, both in bloom and when in leaf, make this cultivar suitable for a wide range of landscape applications.
Its parent, "Lynwood Gold", by contrast is tall and slender--a straight upright variety with erect stems and which attains a height of 6 ft. to 71/2 ft. at maturity.
"Fairy-Land" is suited for applications ranging from mass planting and area delineation to use as a container plant on patios and plazas. Whereas, "Fairy-Land" shares several characteristics with the related Minikin cultivar, "Fairy-Land" is distinguished from Minikin in its somewhat larger shrub size, larger foliage, larger flowers, and in the larger average number of petals per flower.
FLOWER"Fairy-Land" flowers at an intermediate date with deep yellow flowers (Yellow 6A) about 3/4" to 11/4" in width and appear two to four per node, the internodes being 1/2 in. to 1 in. long. Although the flower petals generally number four, many of the blooms have five, six, seven, or eight petals on a single corolla. The corolla lobes are small and reflexed. The pistils extend 3/25 in. to 4/25 in. above the pollen sacs of the stamen.
The "Lynwood Gold" parent is fertile and has pistils that extend well above its pollen sacs, is late flowering and its medium sized flowers (about 1" to 11/2" in diameter) are almost evenly spaced on the stem. The flowers of "Lynwood Gold" are brilliant yellow (lighter than its parent, F. Spectabilis). The corolla lobes of "Lynwood Gold" are reflexed and its petals are large, broad open and elliptic.
SHOOTSThe shoots of "Fairy-Land" are light green when young and brownish green when mature. Its pith is slightly lamellate between nodes.
The stems of the "Lynwood Gold" parent are green when young and brown when mature; they are a bit stiff; the pith at the nodes is lamellate, and on one year shoots, the stems between nodes are hollow.
FOLIAGEThe leaves of "Fairy-Land" are a rather light medium green on both young and mature plants. In the fall they are mostly faded yellow. The leaves are simple, lanceolate, acuminate at the tip and attenuate at the base. The leaves on flowering wood are 0.2 to 0.4 in. wide and 11/2 to 21/2 in. long and not serrate. On vegetative shoots the leaves are 0.5 in. to 0.6 in. wide and about 3 in. long and serrate on the top 1/3. Leaf venation is pinnate. A fine textured appearance results from closely spaced foliage, particularly on the flowering wood, where the internodes are generally 1/4 in. to less than 1 in.
The leaves of the "Lynwood Gold" parent, on the other hand, are ovate lanceolate in shape and about 3" to 41/2" long and about 1" to 11/2" wide. Both young and old leaves are deep green in color.
To facilitate the comparison of the characteristics and features of "Fairy-Land", the subject of this application, and its parent, "Lynwood Gold" and also with the four other new mutant offspring varieties of "Lynwood Gold" referred to above, there are attached hereto as Tables 1-5 comparative tabulations of the characteristics and properties of parent and its five offspring mutants that were developed from a single irradiated plant of "Lynwood Gold." Table 1 compares "Fairy-Land" and its parent "Lynwood Gold". Table 2 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Pygmy-Red". Table 3 compares "Fairy Land" and "Tinkle Bells". Table 4 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Minikin". Table 5 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Lemon Screen".
TABLE 1
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Ser. No. 271,665
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FAIRY LAND
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Plant
Habit Small overall & fine textured:
Closely spaced flowers & leaves
Dense (young) foilage
Size, height 3'-4'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor for size
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Few seed pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Very flexible lamellate between
nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green (fairly light)
(mature) Medium green (fairly light)
(fall) Mostly faded yellow
Shape Lanceolate
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins On flowering wood; entire
On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3
Size
length On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"
On vegatative shoots: about 3"
width On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"
On vegetative shoots 0.5-0.6"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 3/4"-11/4"
Color Yellow (6A)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed, small
Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and
8 on single corolla
Pistils Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen
sacs (anthers) of the stamen
Number per node
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes 1/4" to about 1"
Stress Resistance
Utility Aspects
Very well suited for
container culture
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LYNWOOD GOLD
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Plant
Habit Tall, slender-Upright straight &
erect stems
Size, height 6'-71/2'
Size, width
Vigor
Hardiness
Productivity Fertile
Stems
Color (young) Green
Color (mature) Brown
Rigidity A bit stiff; pith nodes lamellate;
hollow between nodes on one
year shoots
Leaves
Type
Color
(young) Deep Green
(mature) Deep Green
(fall)
Shape ovate lanceolate
tip
base
margins
Size
length 3-41/2"
width 1-11/2"
Venation
Flower
Date of Flowering
Late
Size: width 1"-11/2" (medium)
Color Brillant Yellow
(lighter than its parent
Spectabilis)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed
Petals: number Large, broad, open
Elliptic
Pistils Extend well above pollen
sacs (anthers) of stamens
Number per node
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes Flowers almost evenly spaced
on stems
Stress Resistance
Utility Aspects
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TABLE 2
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Ser. No. 271,665
FAIRY LAND
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Plant
Habit Small overall & fine textured:
Closely spaced flowers & leaves
Dense (young) foliage
Size, height 3'-4'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor for size
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Few seed pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Very flexible lamellate between
nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green (fairly light)
(mature) Medium green (fairly light)
(fall) Mostly faded yellow
Shape Lanceolate
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins On flowering wood; entire
On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3
Size
length On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"
On vegatative shoots: about 3"
width On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"
On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 3/4"-11/4"
Color Yellow (6A)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed, small
Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and
8 on single corolla
Pistils Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen
sacs (anthers) of the stamen
Number per node
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes: 1/4" to about 1"
Stress Resistance
Utility Aspects
Very well suited for
container culture
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Ser. No. 271,666
PYGMY RED
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Plant
Habit Low, loose graceful
arching to ground
Size, height 31/2'-41/2'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor
Hardiness Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Readily roots where branches
touch ground few seed pods
Stems
Color (young) High anthocyanin
Color (mature) Purple Red (59A)
Rigidity Flexible lamellate between nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Dark Green
(mature) Dark Green
(fall) Anthocyanin (maroon) expressed
in full sun
Shape Lanceolate (few lobed
leaves on vegetative shoots)
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins Serrate
Size
length 2"-21/2" on flowering wood;
to 23/4" on vegatative wood
width 0.3"-0.4" on flowering wood;
to 1" on vegetative wood
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 11/4"-11/2"
Color Yellow (7A)
Corolla
length
lobes Narrow
Petals: number 4 - sometimes 5
Pistils Extend 2/25"-3/25" above
pollen sacs of stamens
Number per node
2
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes 1"-11/2" (11/2" even on
fast growing shoots)
Stress Resistance
disease and insect
Utility Aspects
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TABLE 3
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Ser. No. 271,665
FAIRY LAND
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Plant
Habit: Small overall & fine textured:
Closely spaced flowers & leaves
Dense (young) foliage
Size, height 3'-4'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor for size
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Few seeds pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Very flexible lamellate between
nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green (fairly light)
(mature) Medium green (fairly light)
(fall) Mostly faded yellow
Shape Lanceolate
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins On flowering wood; entire
On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3
Size
length On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"
on vegatative shoots: about 3"
width On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"
On vegetative shoots 0.5-0.6"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 3/4"-11/4"
Color: Yellow (6A)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed, small
Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and
8 on single corolla
Pistils: Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen
sacs (anthers) of the stamen
Number per node:
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems:
Internodes: 1/4" to about 1"
Stress Resistance:
Utility Aspects:
Very well suited for
container culture
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Ser. No. 273,489
TINKLE BELLS
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Plant
Habit: Semi-dwarf; Upright
Size, height 4'-41/2'
Size, width
Vigor Medium vigor
Hardiness Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Does not layer naturally (replicates
from stools (no seed pods observed)
Stems
Color (young) Yellow Green
Color (mature) Light brown
Rigidity Sparsely lamellate between
nodes - Rigid
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green
(mature) Medium green
(fall) Faded green to yellow
Shape Elliptical
tip Acute on flower shoots
accuminate on vegetative shoots
base
margins serrate on upper 1/3 near tip
Size
length 2"-3" (with petiole)
width 1/2"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Early
Size: width 1/2"-3/4" at 45.degree. angle
Color: Bright Yellow (7B)
Corolla
length 1/2" open to 45.degree. angle
lobes not reflexed during prime
Petals: number 4; occasionally 5 or 6
Pistils: short: anthers slightly
below stigma portion of pistil
Number per node:
2; often 4 per node
Insertion angle
buds & flowers pendulous
on upright stems:
Internodes: 1/2"-11/2"
Stress Resistance:
Disease and insect
Utility Aspects:
Can force flowering suitable
for container culture
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TABLE 4
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Ser. No. 271,665
FAIRY LAND
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Plant
Habit Small overall & fine textured:
Closely spaced flowers & leaves
Dense (young) foliage
Size, height 3'-4'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor for size
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Few seed pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Very flexible lamellate between
nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green (fairly light)
(mature) Medium green (fairly light)
(fall) Mostly faded yellow
Shape Lanceolate
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins On flowering wood; entire
On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3
Size
length On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"
On vegatative shoots: about 3"
width On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"
On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 3/4"-11/4"
Color Yellow (6A)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed, small
Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and
8 on single corolla
Pistils Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen
sacs (anthers) of the stamen
Number per node
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes 1/4" to about 1"
Stress Resitance
Utility Aspects
Very well suited for
container culture
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Ser. No. 271,919
MINIKIN
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Plant
Habit Small stature, fine textured; small
leaves and small stems; densely
foliated
Size, height 2'-21/2'
Size, width 3'-4'
Vigor Good vigor but slow growth
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Layers naturally
Abundant seed pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Ascending strongly
lamellate between nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Bright green to dark green
(mature) Bright green to dark green
(fall) Fading green until leaf drop
Shape Linear
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins Lightly serrate
Size
length On vegetative shoots-11/2" attached
to 1/2" long slender petiole;
smaller on flowering shoots
width On vegetative shoots - 1/4";
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 1/2"-3/4" (cup shaped) fully reflexed
Color Yellow (9A)
Corolla
length
lobes strongly reflexed, very small
Petals: number 4:- short and recurved
Pistils Short; 1/25" below pollen
sacs of stamens
Number per node
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems
Internodes Short (Flowering shoots 1/4-3/4"
Vegetative shoots up to 2")
Stress Resistance
Doesn't require same degree
of winter protection as most
container grown plants of genre
Utility Aspects
Blooming can be forced. Especially
suited for container culture.
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TABLE 5
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Ser. No. 271,665
FAIRY LAND
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Plant
Habit: Small overall & fine textured:
Closely spaced flowers & leaves
Dense (young) foliage
Size, height 3'-4'
Size, width 5'-6'
Vigor Good vigor for size
Hardiness Zone 6b (or lower)
Productivity Few seed pods
Stems
Color (young) Light green
Color (mature) Brownish green
Rigidity Very flexible lamellate between
nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Medium green (fairly light)
(mature) Medium green (fairly light)
(fall) Mostly faded yellow
Shape Lanceolate
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins On flowering wood; entire
On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3
Size
length On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"
On vegatative shoots: about 3"
width On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"
On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Intermediate
Size: width 3/4"-11/4"
Color: Yellow (6A)
Corolla
length
lobes Reflexed, small
Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and
8 on single corolla
Pistils: Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen
sacs (anthers) of the stamen
Number per node:
2-4
Insertion angle
on upright stems:
Internodes: 1/4" to about 1"
Stress Resistance:
Utility Aspects:
Very well suited for
container culture
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Ser. No. 272,063
LEMON SCREEN
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Plant
Habit: Tall, open and graceful; Upright,
fan shape; vigorous; open foliage
Size, height Up to 10'
Size, width Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)
Vigor Vigorous
Hardiness
Productivity Abundant Flowers/highly sterile/
pruned wood branches quickly
Stems
Color (young)
Color (mature) Yellow
Rigidity Slightly lamellate between nodes
Leaves
Type Simple
Color
(young) Yellow green 151 B or Chartreuse
(appear after flowering)
(mature) Normal green (Yellow-Green 144)
whitish blotches
(fall) Greyed Purple 187 B
Shape
tip Accuminate
base Attenuate
margins Serrate
Size
length Not distinguishing
width Not distinguishing
Venation Pinnate
Flower
Date of Flowering
Early
Size: width 11/2"-13/4"
Color: Yellow (6C)
Corolla
length
lobes Somewhat reflexed
Petals: number 4, sometimes fasciated
Pistils: aborted stamens &/or pistils
Number per node:
4 to 8
Insertion angle
on upright stems:
Internodes: 1" to 2" long on flowering wood
Stress Resistance:
Summer foliage disease & insect
resistant
Utility Aspects:
Summer pruning leads to shoot
with chartreuse leaves (young)
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Claims
1. A new and distinct cultivar of Forsythia named `Fairy-Land`, substantially as shown and described herein.
- van de Werken (1988) "Mutant Offspring", American Nurseryman, vol. 167, No. 1 (Jan. 1, 1988) pp. 127-132. Fincham, J. R. S., "Ionizing Radiation", Genetics, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., Boston, 1983, pp. 326-333. Decourtye, L. (1978) "Utilisation de la mutagenese pour l'obtention de nouvelles varietes d'arbustes ornementaux", Comptes Rendus des Seances de l'Academie d'Agriculture de France, vol. 64 (8), pp. 664-669. "Arnoldia," vol. 31, No. 2, The Arnold Arboretum, Mar. 1971, pp. 41-63. "Flowering Shrubs," Zucker, Isabel, 1966, D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., p. 380. "Hilliers Manual of Trees & Shrubs," 2nd American Edition, Hilliers & Sons Ltd., 1979, A. S. Barnes & Co., Cranbury, N.J., p. 575. "Hortus Third, A Concise Dictionary of Plants Cultivated in the United States and Canada," Staff of L. H. Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, 1976, MacMillan Publishing Co., New York, N.Y., p. 1290. "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants--Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Propagation and Uses," Dirr, Michael A., 1983, Stipes Publishing Co., Champaign, Ill., p. 826.
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 16, 1988
Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
Assignee: The University of Tennessee Research Corporation (Knoxville, TN)
Inventor: Hendrik van de Werken (Knoxville, TN)
Primary Examiner: James R. Feyrer
Attorney: William H. Elliott, Jr.
Application Number: 7/271,665
International Classification: A01H 500;
